A Kyodo News poll shows Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's cabinet approval dipping 0.3 points to 63.8% from March. Nearly half of respondents, 49.3%, deemed her response to oil supply disruptions from the Iran war insufficient, with disapproval rising to 26.0%. Public concern over the Middle East conflict has intensified.
A two-day telephone poll by Kyodo News, conducted from Saturday, found Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's cabinet approval at 63.8%, down 0.3 percentage points from March. The disapproval rate climbed 2.0 points to 26.0%.
On the prime minister's handling of oil shortages from the Iran war, 49.3% said it was insufficient, while 41.4% found it adequate. Japan is releasing about 80 million barrels from reserves, equivalent to 45 days of domestic consumption, and considering more in May. Takaichi voiced support for an additional joint release by the 32-member International Energy Agency during a March meeting with Executive Director Fatih Birol.
Some 89.5% of respondents, up 4.1 points, expressed concern over the Middle East conflict's impact on daily life, and 69.6% want continued government subsidies to lower gasoline prices. Retail gasoline hit a record 190.80 yen per liter in mid-March but has fallen to around 170 yen, the government target, with subsidies. The industry minister mentioned demand-curbing measures, and Takaichi indicated the public might be asked to cut gasoline use.
Regarding U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran, 80.3% viewed them as wrong. A slim majority, 50.1%, backed Japan's decision to stay silent on assessing the war, versus 42.2% opposed. Only 30.0% favored amending the Constitution for Self-Defense Forces dispatch to the Strait of Hormuz. Ruling Liberal Democratic Party support rose to 40.3%, up 2.6 points.
